Residential Policies and Procedures

This web site summarizes some rules and regulations of the University; in addition, students are responsible for reading the Code of Student Conduct in The Student Handbook, which contains information about alcohol and drugs, additional policies, and other important information about student rights and responsibilities.

Flammable Materials / Candles / Incense

The burning of candles, incense, and similar materials is a fire hazard and is prohibited in residence hall rooms and on exterior window sills. The storage and use of flammable fluid is prohibited.

Appliances and Room Alterations

Approved appliances for use in student rooms include:

clocks

radios

computers

stereos

fans

televisions

lamps

typewriters

Residents may use the following appliances with reasonable caution:

blow dryers

irons

curling irons

These appliances may not be used at all in residence halls:

coffee pots

toasters

grills

popcorn poppers

hot plates (other than hot-air)

skillets

other cooking equipment

air conditioners

gas appliances

dehumidifiers

heating pads

electric blankets

candle warmers

hot-air popcorn poppers

sun lamps or indoor grills such as "The George Foreman Grill"

refrigerators with a medical slip from a license physician

If there are health reasons for certain equipment, specifically air conditioners, you must receive approval from the Student Health Services and be assigned to a hall where central air conditioning is provided. Appropriate documentation from a licensed physician is required. Tampering, altering, or rewiring electrical outlets is a fire and safety hazard and is not permitted. Overloading outlets with many appliances is also a fire hazard. Questions about overloading can be directed to the Hall Manager. Any arrangement of furniture or decorations that blocks or impedes exits or entrances to a residence hall room is prohibited.

Damage

Students are responsible for the condition of their room, the furniture assigned to that room, and the interior of the room door. Charges will be assessed for damage resulting from the use of tape, tacks, nails, screws, or pins on walls or furniture. Charges will be assessed and vary depending on the nature of the damage. Failure to remove these items will result in an additional $10 charge at the next scheduled health, safety, and maintenance inspection.

Keys and University IDs

Dishonest use of a key and/or University ID is a violation of University policy. Because your key and ID are used for admission to various University facilities and activities, the lending, borrowing, altering, or duplicating of a residence hall key or ID is strictly prohibited. A re-key fee is charged if the key is not returned upon vacancy of the room.

Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is illegal for persons under 21 years of age. Empty containers of alcoholic beverages (e.g., beer cans, liquor, and wine bottles) are indicators of consumption and therefore prohibited in rooms of all students. For regulations covering the consumption and possession of alcohol, refer to pages 96-97, and 305 of the Code of Student Conduct. The delivery of alcohol to any residence hall is prohibited.

Bicycles

Students are expected to operate bicycles in a safe and courteous manner and comply with University regulations and state laws pertaining to bicycle operation, including safety equipment standards. Bicycles are subject to the same driving laws as motor vehicles, and citations for improper and unsafe riding may be issued. Bicycles may not be operated in the residence halls at any time, and may not be stored in rooms or not in any public areas of the halls. Complete bicycle regulations are contained in The Student Handbook and are also available from Police Services.

Business Ventures

Residence hall rooms may not be used for business purposes of any nature. Unauthorized selling, collecting of money, and promotion on campus or within any University building is not permitted. Students may not act as agents for business firms that entail solicitations or the receiving of business offers or goods on University property.

Fire Regulations

Please be sure to locate the fire alarms and exits in your hall. Your prompt and complete
cooperation in case of fire is important for everyone's safety. Each room is equipped with a smoke detector, but it is not attached to the main hall system. In case of a fire in your room, you must pull a fire alarm in the hallway to activate the hall system, then call 911 to report the fire's location and notify a hall staff member.
If an alarm has been sounded, raise your shade, turn on the room light, and check the door for heat. If the door is hot, block the floor crack with a towel and attempt to signal for help from your window. If the door is not hot, exit your room, close the door behind you, stay near the floor, and leave the building by the nearest exit. Under no circumstances should you re-enter a burning building.

Remaining in a residence hall during a fire alarm is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and will be dealt with in a disciplinary matter.

False Alarms

Anyone turning in a false fire or bomb report, either by telephone or by setting off an alarm, or anyone tampering with fire extinguishers or smoke detectors is subject to suspension from the University and prosecution under the Delaware State Revised Code and/or the Code of Student Conduct.

Fireplaces

Many residence hall living rooms have functional fireplaces. They may be used only during specified hours with the permission of the Hall Manager. Extreme care should be exercised when using a fireplace. Residents using the fireplace are responsible for keeping the glass doors or screens closed while the fire is burning.

Hall Sports

Students are prohibited from playing sports or rough-housing in the halls as this may disrupt the living/learning environment. Hall sports include, but are not limited to, tossing, bouncing, or kicking a ball or frisbee, rollerblading, biking, using a scooter, or use of water guns or water balloons.

Legal Drug Usage and Other Medical Conditions

If you are a student who needs special medication by injection, the Student Health Services is available to help you. If you need to give yourself injections, please arrange for safe and sanitary disposal of your syringes. You are encouraged to notify the Student Health Services and your hall Manger if you have a medical condition that may require special attention. Appropriate confidentiality will be maintained.

Musical Instruments

Musical instruments may not be played in the halls. Violation of this policy may result in a resident being required to store the instrument until it can be removed from campus, or the removal of the resident from the halls. Persons failing to comply with the musical instrument regulation may be charged with a noise violation. Similarly, the volume of stereos or other sound systems must be low enough so sound does not carry to other student rooms or outdoors.

Noise Policy

Noise violations are often viewed subjectively by both students and staff. Based on experience, the following examples constitute clear violations of the noise policy:

noises, music, or voices that are clearly distinguishable in the corridor during restricted quiet hours

heavy percussion or bass sounds that vibrate through any walls, doors, ceilings, or floors

alarms or music playing in an empty room

pounding on doors, bouncing sports equipment or other items on the walls or floor of a room or corridor

failure to respect courtesy hours

For the purposes of this policy, noise shall be considered too loud if it can be heard outside of a room with the door closed during quiet hours. Courtesy and common sense should prevail at all other times. Please note: All students present in a room are charged with a noise violation in that room unless one resident takes responsibility for the violation.

Pets

Pets can create safety and sanitation hazards and, therefore, are not permitted in the residence halls. Fish are the only acceptable pets permitted in any residence hall and may be kept in tanks no larger than 5 gallons. Fish should be removed from residence halls during winter and spring breaks.

Quiet and Courtesy Hours

Quiet hours are a specified time each day when the hall is to remain quiet. The primary purpose of living in residence halls is to support the student's academic experience. Therefore, courtesy hours are in effect at all times. Courtesy hours indicate that all residents are expected to accommodate reasonable requests for quiet by students, residence life staff, or housekeeping staff. Failure to comply with these requests may result in documentation of a noise violation.

On the weekdays, quiet hours begin at 9 pm to 8 am. During the weekends, quiet hours begin at midnight to 8am. Weekdays are defined as Sunday to Thursday and Weekends are defined as Friday to Saturday. During finals week there are 24 hour quiet hours from Friday, or the designated reading day, before finals until the end of finals. Students may be asked to leave the residence halls if they are found to be in violation of quiet hours during the 24 hour quiet period.

Radio Transmission

Radio transmission is not permitted in residence halls except through authorized agencies such as WDSU radio.

Smoking in the Residence Halls

The use of legal tobacco products in the residence halls is prohibited. Students may smoke outside, provided they are at least 25 feet away from doors and windows to avoid smoke entering residence hall rooms or public areas. All trash created by smoking (butts, matches, etc.) should be placed in appropriate ash cans, not on the ground. Smoking in any area inside the residence halls is prohibited including, but not limited to, stairwells, bathrooms, lobbies, lounges, living rooms, study rooms, and hallways. Students may not smoke in their residence hall rooms.

Weapons

Because of the threat of violence in our society, we are very concerned about weapons in our residence halls. Therefore, we prohibit the possession of weapons or those items that a casual observer might perceive to be a weapon (e.g., toy guns, stun guns etc.). Persons found to be in possession of such items or weapons may be charged with a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. For further information on this policy, please read the student handbook.

Visitation Policies

We expect that if you want to have a guest, you will consult your roommate(s)/suitemates in an effort to maintain positive roommate relations. A resident's right to privacy takes priority over a roommate's desire to entertain guests. If you have a guest in your room against the expressed wishes of your roommate, you may face administrative relocation to another residence hall room.

A guest is defined as any person in a residence hall room or public area of a residence hall who is not a currently assigned resident of that room or residence hall. A guest can be a person who does not attend Delaware University or a Delaware State University student who lives off-campus, in a different hall, or in a different room in the hall.

A host is a resident of the hall who has a guest. To maintain a living environment that respects the privacy and security of the residents and the hall, hosts and guests are required to abide by these policies:

All guests must have a specific host who is a resident of the room and/or residence hall that the guest is visiting.

Guests are subject to the same rules and regulations found in the Code of Student Conduct and The Student
Handbook as their host. The host is responsible for informing the guest of these regulations in advance of the visit.

The host will be held responsible for inappropriate behavior of guests, including those who are Delaware State students.

If the guests are not Delaware State students, the host assumes full financial responsibility for the behavior and actions
of his/her guests while they are on campus.

For safety and security reasons, a guest must be escorted at all times and in all areas of the residence hall by his/her
host.

Guests MUST use bathrooms designated for use by persons of their own sex.

Guests may not use a resident's key or ID card for any reason, including access to the residence hall or dining hall.

During the course of their visit, guests are expected to behave in a way that contributes positively to the residence hall
community, showing respect and consideration for others and for property.

Visitation Hours

Visitation is the opportunity for members of the opposite sex to visit in student rooms. Specifically, the policy allows members of one sex to visit members of the opposite sex in their residence hall room during specified hours. Quiet hours, the visitation policies, and all rules and regulations found in the Code of Student Conduct remain in effect during visitation hours. The University recognizes that students may need to work collaboratively on academic work during non-visitation hours. In each residence hall, there are 24-hour study rooms, typically found in the lobby and lounge. Visitation is permitted in these public areas during social hours of 11am – 12am on Sunday through Thursday and 11am t- 2am on Friday and Saturday. Consult your Manager to obtain a complete list of all areas of your residence hall that are available for visitation during the social hours.

The visitation hours are 1pm to 12 midnight on Sunday; 4pm –12 midnight from Monday through Thursday and from 4:30pm form Friday to Saturday.

Each resident is permitted a maximum of 2 guests.

Overnight Guests

Visitation hours do not permit students to have guests of the opposite sex stay overnight in their residence hall room. There are no accommodations in any University residence hall for overnight guests of the opposite sex. However, students are permitted to have overnight guests of the same sex. To maintain a living environment that respects the privacy of the residents and to maintain security in the building, hosts and overnight guests are required to abide by all policies that apply to guests (see Visitation section above.) Overnight guests are expected to comply with the Visitation Policy, the rules and regulations found in the Code of Student Conduct, and the Overnight Guest Policy. Delaware State students not complying with these policies will be subject to disciplinary action. We expect that if you wish to have an overnight guest, you will consult your roommate(s)/suitemates in an effort to maintain positive roommate relations. All policies pertaining to guests also pertain to overnight guests. The Student Handbook, page 90, Visitation Policy, states:

"Overnight visitors (of same sex ONLY must register at the residence hall upon arrival. A fee of $5 payable in advance is charged for each night of visitation. Overnight guests are authorized only on Friday and /or Saturday nights and no guest shall stay in the residence halls for a period greater than three days during any calendar month. No one under the age of 16 may stay overnight."

Overnight guests are not permitted to occupy residence hall beds without specifically requesting the permission of those to whom the bed is assigned. Overnight guests may not sleep in living rooms, lounges, or on lounge furnishings. Hosts who permit overnight guests to violate these policies will be subject to disciplinary action. Only the Manger of the hall in which the host resides may grant exceptions to this policy.

Unauthorized use of University Housing

The residence hall is a place where many students live and call home. Damage to the building detracts from the environment. Therefore, the playing of any form of sports in the hallways and public areas is not allowed. Damage to hall property will be charged to those responsible for the damage. Venturing out onto roofs is a safety hazard and subject to disciplinary action.

Roofs

Residents are not permitted on any roof (including porches) because of potential injury or roof damage. Students found in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.

Housing Assignments

Housing assignments are made by the Department of Residence Life Housing, room 108 Laws Hall. Continuing students may contact this office for information on housing assignments. New or transfer students should contact the Office of Admission for assistance.

First-Year Assignments

All first-year students are required to live in residence halls unless they meet one of the following criteria.

married or getting married during the academic year

commute from the home of a parent or legal guardian

Exceptions to these criteria will be considered by the Department of Residence Life and Housing upon receipt of a written request. Housing assignments for first-year students are made at random. Although new students cannot choose a particular hall to live in, reciprocal roommate requests and requests for non-smoking roommates are honored whenever possible.

Upper-class Assignments

In the fall, all current upperclass residents may have the option to reside in Warren Franklin, the University Village and the University Courtyards. Students may have the opportunity to select the specific hall, room, and roommate(s) of their choice during the reassignment procedures.

Temporary Housing

At times there are more students desiring housing than the University can accommodate, and each semester some students withdraw shortly after the semester begins. Because of these situations, some students are placed in temporary housing until permanent assignments can be made. Those assigned to temporary spaces are notified in writing that their assignments are temporary, and they will be moved to permanent assignments as soon as possible. This policy allows the University to accommodate more students, making the best use of facilities and keeping room and meal plan rates low.

Room and Hall Changes

Room and hall changes may usually be made after the second week of the semester. Before making a room change, you must obtain approval of the Managers in both halls. If approval for the change is granted, the room being vacated is inspected and the Manager collects the room key and assesses room damages.

Vacant Spaces

If there is a vacant bed in a student room, the Department of Residence Life and Housing may assign another student to that room at any time. Current residents of that room who create a hostile environment for new or potentially new roommates may face disciplinary action. Before winter break, students with vacant beds in their room must prepare the room for a roommate. Preparation includes moving all personal belongings to one side of the room, emptying one dresser and closet, and cleaning the room.

Residence Hall Contract

Each student living in University housing signs a residence hall contract. This contract obligates you to pay both room and meal plan charges for first and second semesters. Students are not permitted to sublet their rooms.

Terminating the Contract

Requests for release for reasons such as medical, financial, co-op/internship, study abroad, graduation, or marriage must be submitted in writing to the Department of Residence Life and Housing 108 Laws Hall and to the Registrar 108 Administration Building. If you withdraw from the University after the semester begins, you will receive the unused portion of your meal plan charge and a percentage of your room fees. You must file an official withdrawal form with the Counseling services and the Registrar in order to terminate the housing contract. If a student is removed from a residence hall because of violation of University regulations, the residence hall contract is terminated.

Liability

The University does not assume any responsibility for loss, theft, or damage to any property belonging to any student living in the residence halls. The University does not carry insurance on residents or on their personal property. You may wish to carry your own personal property insurance to cover your belongings.